10 Tips for Saving Water at Home
Reducing how much water you use and saving on water doesn’t have to affect your daily routine. These simple changes can make a huge difference.
It may feel like we have too much rain in Britain but the UK actually has less drinking water available per person than most other European countries. As the population increases, it means water resources will become even more stretched. Reducing water waste saves energy needed for treating and pumping water for use in our homes as well as protecting wildlife. Did we mention that you can save money from your energy bills too?
1.Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth
A running tap can use six litres of water per minute. By turning off the tap while brushing your teeth, a family of four could save up to £36 on metered water bills, as well as up to 17,520 litres of water per year. You can also fit a bathroom tap insert to save a further one litre per minute.
2. Take shorter showers (4 minutes is recommended)
On average a shower uses 10 litres of water per minute. Ordering a free shower timer and reducing your shower time by just one minute could save a family of four up to £45 on metered water bills, up to £52 on energy bills and as much as 11,648 litres of water per year. You can also order a free water efficient showerhead which could save a family of four up to £97 on metered water and energy bills as well as nearly 22,000 litres of water each year.
3.Fix leaks and drips
A single leaky loo can waste up to 400 litres of water per day – the equivalent of five full bathtubs – costing up to £300 per year for metered customers. A dripping tap can also waste more than 60 litres of water per week. Find out how to spot a leaky loo and find an approved plumber in your area to fix leaks and drips.
4. Reduce your water use in the garden
Less watering doesn’t have to mean less gardening. Choose plants that don’t mind going without a drink for a while. Your garden centre will be able to recommend plants that need less water. When you water, use a watering can as opposed to a hose pipe as these produce 1,000 litres of water an hour! You can also order a water butt to collect rainwater from your roof to use in the garden.
5. Don’t leave the tap running to clean dishes or vegetables
A running tap uses six litres of water per minute. By filling a washing-up bowl instead of running the tap you can reduce the amount of water you use. You can also order a kitchen swivel tap to save one litre of water per minute and allow you to direct the flow in any direction you need.
6. Always use full loads in your washing machine and dishwasher.
This cuts out unnecessary washes in between and less washing sounds good to us!
7. Fill a jug with tap water and place this in your fridge.
This mean that next time you want to hydrate, you do not have to leave the cold tap running for the water to run cold before you fill your glass.
8. Install a water meter.
When you’re paying your utility provider for exactly how much water you use, laid out in an itemised bill, there’s an incentive to waste less of the stuff. You are more aware of what’s happening therefore highlighting any opportunities for improvement.
9. Fit a water saving device in the toilet cistern.
It’s a simple, low cost way of saving water. When placed inside your cistern it should save up to 2 litres per flush or 20% of the water originally used when flushing. You can get one of these from your water provider.
10. Reuse your dehumidifier water.
For those of us that have dehumidifiers we know this is an excellent source of water. Since it usually comes from damp basements, reusing it to water your plants and lawn is a perfect alternative rather than wasting it by dumping it down the drain or toilet.
For more information, visit Thames Water.
Category
Sustainability
